


A Needed Lesson

by lilredsoupbowl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-04
Updated: 2013-07-04
Packaged: 2017-12-17 17:27:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/870101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilredsoupbowl/pseuds/lilredsoupbowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma always expects the worst; especially given her new partner-in-crime’s seemingly chivalry and apparent kindness! What was this guy after?<br/>Warnings: Some mature language and possible trigger to sexual abuse. Nothing too heavy (in my opinion) but I don’t want to cause anyone discomfort or awaken past issues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Needed Lesson

“Here -let me teach you something!” 

Neal spun the car into a tight turn; driving the yellow bug into a motel parking lot. 

Here it came, Emma decided with a groan. She took another bite of her gas station burrito; stolen this morning courtesy of her partnership with Neal Cassidy.

Avoiding eye contact with the man next to her, Emma knew what was coming. He’d been nothing but a gentleman so far. Guy even held doors for her. Always insistent that she slept in the comfortable backseat as he curled up in the front. That she always get the last bite of whatever food they’d stolen. 

She was honestly shocked by the lack of sexual harassment at this point. The respect Neal showed her. Sure, he would flirt; banter with her – always charming and funny. But Emma was amazed to not be waking up in the middle of the night to Neal fondling her breasts; a favorite past-time of every foster brother she’d ever encounter. Or foster father, she recalled in disgust. 

When Neal parked the car, Emma’s mind wasn’t functioning properly. Part of her actually considered going along with it; after all, he was handsome. And a good partner in crime. 

But headstrong Emma Swan wasn’t going to just yield; especially if he presented it like sex was owed to him! That she should just open her legs and shut up!

She hadn’t been a virgin since she was fifteen – but, for all the reasons she’d fucked around over the years, obligation wasn’t one of them. 

She glanced over at Neal to find his eyes fixated on one of the motel rooms; unaware of her examining him. 

Maybe she should just cut her loses. Punch the guy right in the jaw, grab her bags, and bail. Nothing was worth being treated like a fucking whore. The guy hadn’t even tried to kiss her yet – but moved straight on into getting a motel room!

Or – she could always play along. Wait for the jerk to have his pants down around his ankles then flee the room and steal the car! 

When a man exited the room Neal had been watching, Neal quickly undid his seat belt; waiting till the guy was in his car and driving away to turn to her. 

“You want to learn something today?” 

Great! He was fixated on ‘teaching’ her. The vanity! Like any man before him didn’t know what they were doing – just him! 

She nodded her head though; undoing her own seat belt and following him out of the car. Making sure to keep the passenger side door unlocked. Noting carefully which jean pocket Neal stuffed the keys into. When they reached the door, she played lookout as Neal picked the lock; his specialty! 

When he unlocked the door, Emma moved to follow him inside – only to be prevented by his outstretched hand. 

What?

“I’m going to close the door; just leave it open an inch or so. If you see the guy returning…” 

“I whistle?” 

“No, way too obvious! Just kind of… nudge the door. Really nonchalant! Like you were just resting here a bit and… opps! Got to go! Don’t cause it to open all the way! Just enough to alert me.” 

With that, Neal disappeared inside the room – leaving Emma feeling guilty for expecting something sinister out of the guy. 

Heck – maybe Neal was gay? His winks and smiles just for laughs. His only interest in her as a friend and fellow thief. There should have been comfort in this idea – but it made Emma unhappy. But why? Why should she care one way or another?

She saw the motel room occupant’s car stopped at the light; right about to turn into the parking lot once again. He didn’t go far! 

Emma started to nudge against the door. Worrying that wasn’t enough, she started to kick it as well – possibly too much, since Neal had to race over to keep the door from flying opening. 

“He’s back,” Emma announced. 

“That’s what I guessed from you knocking the door open…here,” He passed out the car keys to her. “Start the bug. I’ll finish up in here and go down the back staircase.” 

Emma snatched the keys, speed walking as casually as possible down the outdoor staircase and across the parking lot. She entered the driver side of the bug; started the engine and waited. Watched as the guy’s car pulled in across from their yellow bug. He had to be in his late thirties. Already balding, as he raced to open the passenger side door – revealing a heavily pregnant woman; leaning against his arm as they started up the staircase. 

She watched Neal slip out of their room and head down the back staircase right in front of their line of vision; but Neal stopped when he hit the parking lot – he’d noticed the pregnant woman by the man’s side; struggling to reach the door through her fatigue. 

Neither the man or woman were dressed nicely. Both’s clothes looked worn and dirty. And Neal seemed to reach the same conclusion she had: here were two people like them, just trying to survive. A family.

Emma watched him commandeer a cleaning woman’s cart; racing towards the other side of the building. By now, the expecting couple were already in their motel room. When Neal came into her vision again, he was pushing the cart along the second landing; a cleaning woman’s apron tied around his middle.

He knocked on the couple’s door and Emma watched him talking to both of them; handing over a brown paper bag. The man and woman beamed at him. The man presenting Neal something from his wallet – Neal refused at first but the man didn’t seem to take ‘no’ for an answer. 

When the door closed, Neal once again disappeared along the back of the building with the cleaning cart. Resurfacing to place the cart where he’d found it; crossing the parking lot to join her in the bug. 

“Look,” he exclaimed, holding up two paper tickets. “We got free passes to the movie theatre down the street!” 

“Why did you do that?” 

“…because –it was the right thing to do. It looks like they’re living in there; have a kid on the way. Guy said their house burnt down and they’d lost everything. They’re just trying to get by; to be a family… I’m sorry Emma if –“ 

But he didn’t get to finish the unnecessary apology. Emma instead leaned across the bug; holding his head in place as she kissed him. Mouth latching onto his; head spinning because of him. When he returned the kiss, sighing into her mouth and gently caressing her face: Emma was pleased to find out that Neal Cassidy wasn’t gay after all. 

Instead, he might have been the first decent guy she’d ever met.


End file.
